In the 8866th year of the Tianyuan calendar, the nation's fortune has been waning for nearly a century. The realm is nominally united, but in truth it teeters on the brink of collapse, with central authority all but gone. Above, powerful ministers sideline the imperial house, like the eunuch Wei Zhongxian, who holds the court in his grip. Below, noble clans, sects, and warlords carve up the ninety-six provinces, building their strength and waiting for the chance to seize the realm.
